5 minutes with…Nathan Barato

/// Hey Nathan, thanks for joining us. Hailing from Toronto, can you tell us about what the music scene is like there?

Toronto has always had a pretty healthy seen as far as I can tell. Like any scene, it has its ebbs and flows but there has always been a healthy number of people who love the music and live for the music just like me, baby.

/// How has this impacted your current style?I always found that the majority of the Toronto crowd essentially wants you to kick their ass, so that’s taught me to step it up when it’s time to step it up. My natural inclination is to sort of wind people through grooves or to tell a story with my programming but sometimes they’re not interested in that bullshit – they want you to smack ‘em in the face and then follow up with a throat punch. Toronto clubbers taught me how to do that on call.

/// How do you feel the music scene in Toronto has changed over the years?

It’s hard for me to comment about the Toronto scene in recent years because I haven’t been there so much. I’ve been travelling mainly and I’m really not in it enough to know but if you’re going back into the 80s and 90s it’s transitioned in many ways. It’s basically a beautiful shit show.

/// Have you played in Newcastle before? If so, could you tell us some of your best memories?

Yeah I’ve played here twice. It’s a really cool, pretty city that I really like. One time I played for Patrick’s party. He played all night and one room, I played all night in the other room and it was incredible. The vibe was through the roof and the Tooners were going ape shit – exactly how I like it. The other time I played for the Loop crew and it was also a show of epic proportions.

/// Shindig is celebrating a landmark birthday this year, in 25 years. Is there anything similar within the underground scene in Toronto? Can you see any similarities or differences between the scenes?

Wow 25 years that’s really amazing. In Toronto I would have to say Comfort Zone has the most similarity no doubt. It’s been around longer than the Raptors and I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon.

/// You’ve worked relentlessly over the last two decades to craft a name for yourself on the scene, what do you attribute your success to in the recent years? What advice would you give to aspiring DJ’s/Producers?

Hey thanks a lot. Basically, I have just kept on making music and getting it released. Then when I get booked to DJ I try my best to give it everything I’ve got and give the clubbers something from my insides.

There’s no better promotion than word-of-mouth, so if you as a DJ don’t half ass it and give everything you got and go balls to the walls, people talk and people will remember you and people will want to hear you again.

Aspiring DJs and producers should be ready to work harder than they would have thought they could and be ready to not give up on themselves. Be ready to gamble and be ready to believe in what you’re doing. If they love what they’re doing, somebody else will too.

/// You’ve also become a regular across clubs in Ibiza, hitting clubs such as Sankeys, DC-10 and Space. Whilst also gracing the decks at Marco Carola’s Music On at Amnesia, but what would you say your favourite club/night to play is and why?

I get this question often and it’s really unfair! A lot of these parties are really amazing and there aren’t many parties like this anywhere else in the world, so I feel extremely lucky and privileged to even just go. So many people can’t even go to these parties, never mind DJ them, so it’s hard for me to just pick a favourite like it’s picking a favourite colour because it’s not. Actually no, I’m not gonna pick a favourite, sorry!

/// Your touring schedule is extremely busy and sometimes with 2/3 shows in one day. How would you say modern day DJ’s cope with the physical demands of the club scene in 2017?

Most of the people who work with me or know me well will probably laugh at the fact that I’m saying this, but if you can try to relax on the alcohol, relax on garbage food, try to exercise, and nap as much as you can… and drink water dude, drink lots of water… you can cope.

/// You’re extremely active on social media, especially Instagram.

How important do you feel it is now for DJs & producers to use these tools to stay connected to your fans? Do you also feel like this could be the downfall of some DJ’s?

Yeah I guess I’m pretty active. I’m just pretty much trying to be as natural as I can while also doing my part to help promote the parties – but also just being in the moment and trying to give people a taste of the kind of life that’s going on because it is pretty fucking nuts. Social media is kind of crazy because it shows who’s fake when someone thinks their being genuine, at least that’s what I see.

Social media can really be a downfall for anyone actually. DJs, regular non-DJ Ing people, taxi drivers, lawn-mower makers, anyone. Sometimes some people really shouldn’t have a public voice because they say the stupidest shit that just makes you dislike them. There are some DJs, artists or actors or singers that I wish I never knew what their opinions are on some things because I don’t agree with them at all. And I can’t help it, it makes me not want to hear what they have to say anymore but I try my best to separate it from their art because it would be unfortunate that their life on social media would take me away from the great things that they make.

/// Who is your favourite artist to play back to back with and why?I’m really lucky in that I get to play back to back with some great DJs who I’ve looked up to and admire but I mean it would be blasphemy if I even tried to say that my favourite DJ to play back to back with wasn’t Carlo Lio…. He’s my brother.